Imagine if you had photos from when you were small, documenting part of a regular day at home with your Mum.

Imagine if these images captured details of your house that you’d since forgotten about; your old bedroom, the pictures you used to hang on your walls, your teddies and the toys you used to play with. How special would it be if they also included some of the old routines and habits that are now faded memories; the way your Mum prepared morning tea with the fruit neatly cut, the games you used to play together, or the way you would snuggle in her lap and fiddle with her jewellery. How beautiful to be reminded of the clothes you used to wear, or how once upon a time you could barely see over the kitchen bench.

I don’t know about you, but personally, photos like these would be like gold to me.

I want to photograph more Motherhood. More of the everyday. More of the pieces of life that feel so normal and ordinary, and dare I say it…mundane, while you’re in the thick of it, but in years to come will be so very precious.

And most importantly, I want to capture you. Because if you’re anything like me, there aren’t enough pictures with you in them. Or at least there aren’t enough pictures (or any), that show a little of the work you put in. I want to celebrate your efforts, your attention, your care…and I want your kids to see it too.

Honestly friends, I could type pages about this, and I haven’t even begun with all of the thoughts my mind has whispered to make me doubt the validity of this idea: ‘But aren’t Dads important too?’, and ‘Surely when you hire a photographer nothing is really authentic anymore’, and ‘Why would anyone pay money to have a stranger come over and take pictures of ordinary stuff?’. I get it. But all in all, when I fast forward in my mind 20 years, I don’t see images like these being a regret.

So, here it is. My first motherhood session with the wonderful Kim and her gorgeous daughters.

Kim, who was up at the crack of dawn (possibly even before), but still welcomed me with a beautiful smile and an openness to run with whatever the morning held.

I watched and clicked away as they spent their morning doing some of their usuals. Craft, play doh, hide and seek, cuddling, eating, giggling, playing. There were a couple of unsuccessful nap attempts, some loud moments, some quiet moments, shared glee because a full name was written for the first time, and a little think about which cake to bake for an upcoming birthday. They looked for beautiful flowers out the front window and later watched hail fall.

It was a wonderful morning of spontaneous interactions, intertwined with my guidance and understanding of light. I’m certainly not going to pretend that all of these photos ‘just happened’, or that I sat back the whole time without saying anything. These sessions are like a dance (albeit a sometimes clumsy one), where we work together to create a beautiful story.

This is a little part of Kim’s, and I would love to capture a little part of yours.

xo

]]>http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/kim-motherhood/feed/1Brittany&Jeremy {+six}http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/brittanyjeremy-six/
http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/brittanyjeremy-six/#commentsThu, 14 Sep 2017 04:37:55 +0000http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/?p=17992‘If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable – each segment distinct’ -Letty Cottin Pogrebin

There’s just so much wonderful, cheeky, happy, gorgeousness across all the members of this family. Similar and yet distinct.

Six kids and two awesome parents, who are doing the most amazing job raising these young individuals. I mean, six little humans under your care, that’s next level commitment!

We took pictures right up until the light faded and the cold Wintery air well and truly kicked in. These guys were total troopers.

And may the image of them all together, sitting in the front yard on random bits of outdoor furniture (which the boys pulled in), ‘go straight to the poolroom’.

Those long days when the sun says goodnight well after dinner, and you come home after hours at the beach with sand stuck between your toes.

Despite having never met me before, this family were just as warm as the sun on the day of our session.

So very welcoming and so very lovely.

With two darling children who I just adored!

They allowed me to simply spend time with them…..and for that, I am ever so grateful.

xo

]]>http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/meganjoe-two/feed/0motherhoodhttp://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/motherhood-2/
http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/motherhood-2/#respondSun, 14 May 2017 03:09:12 +0000http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/?p=17443When I became a mother, my mind became like an ocean

A darling little sister to her older siblings and a perfect bundle of sweetness.

I was so grateful Nathan and Tracy invited me back into their home, only a few short weeks into their time as a party of five.

Because let’s be real, life with a newborn is very much full of precious fresh love, but it’s also full of sleepless nights, constant feeding and the beginning of a whole new juggling act.

So, to be asked over to take photos (despite all the less than perfect goings on) feels pretty special.

We didn’t stray from home for this session. We just stayed in and spent a little time together.

I loved seeing how wonderfully this tiny girl fit into her new home, with her adoring family around her.

Some things really are meant to be.

xo

]]>http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/nathantracy-three/feed/0a little Spring breakhttp://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/a-little-spring-break/
http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/a-little-spring-break/#respondWed, 01 Mar 2017 02:07:40 +0000http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/?p=17069Last October we took a much anticipated holiday break on the East Coast.

And when I say ‘much anticipated’, I mean I foolishly told the kids about our plans weeks in advance, and then had to spend all the days leading up to our departure counting down sleeps, and crossing off squares on the calendar! Which actually wasn’t so bad, considering we were all just as excited as each other.

Mark found us a delightful little holiday house called ‘Sand Hopper Cottage‘ over on Airbnb. It’s perfectly situated at the end of a quiet street in Binalong Bay and we just adored it there!

We spent our days doing all the things we love most. Exploring beaches, walking on bush tracks, lazing about indoors, playing board games, visiting coffee shops and aimlessly driving through sleepy towns.

The weather was fickle. Sunny one minute and blustery the next. But being true Tasmanians we were prepared with clothes for all seasons, at all times. So we just played the usual game of shedding and re-applying layers every few hours.

I honestly just relished in this time we had together. I loved our open days with no real plans, and the simple blessing of just being able to soak up all the beauty we saw around us.

I think our only sadness, was that we couldn’t stay longer.

xo

]]>http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/a-little-spring-break/feed/0Ziad&Hannah {+two}http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/ziadhannah-two/
http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/ziadhannah-two/#respondTue, 14 Feb 2017 01:34:13 +0000http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/?p=16918The last time I photographed Hannah and Ziad, Hannah was pregnant with their first baby.

Fast forward a few years, and they now have two gorgeous little girls!

I adored meeting up with these four and spending time in their lovely new home.

We had a beautiful afternoon playing, exploring the local area, and sipping delicious coffee and hot chocolates.

These are the sessions that make my heart happy. No big expectations. Just hanging out together, and capturing all the little moments that will one day become precious memories.

Unlike Autumn where we ventured out quite often. I found us hibernating more and more as the cool months rolled on.

We engaged in the happy past time of following the sun about the house. Settling in the warmth of golden window light, with lego, books or perhaps a sneaky nap. “Mama, can you open your eyes now?’

And of course there were road trips too. Big and small. Sometimes location scouting, sometimes looking for snow but most often because of cabin fever.

There was a semi failed trip to Launceston in July, that ended with an unexpected drive home in the dead of night. Thank goodness for 10.30pm Mintie incentives. ‘Look, lollies!….We’re almost home I promise.’

In recent days, I’ve been enjoying watching our backyard come back to life. We’ve had blossoms and Daffodils, and today the air was fragrant with Jasmine.

The kids are already counting down the days until the next school break and are desperately excited for warmer weather.

To which I bluntly remind them that we live in Tasmania.

But regardless of the lingering cold, there is always a wonderful sense of achievement in turning over the calendar and knowing that it’s Spring.

Alongside that scary realisation that it’s practically Christmas.

Yep.

Welcome to the home stretch friends.

xo

]]>http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/winter-scenes/feed/0May sceneshttp://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/may-scenes/
http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/may-scenes/#respondThu, 26 May 2016 10:03:20 +0000http://www.lisakphotographyblog.com/?p=15902May began with a full feast of Autumn colour.

Our backyard changing almost daily with more and more bare branches up above, as the carpet of leaves grew thicker at our feet.

The start of the month also came with the burial of a sweet feathered friend we found on the driveway.

Too beautiful and precious to simply discard, we lay it in the soil and adorned it with yellow treasures to match it’s beautiful wings.

Unlike last month, the last few weeks have brought plenty of rain and much cooler weather.

I have attempted to embrace the mantra ‘have gumboots, will adventure’.

This is easy on the days that are crisp and sunny but not so much the greyer ones. However, I know that time spent outdoors always makes for much happier dispositions. So I tell myself to get out as often as we can.

Term two is in full swing and we have had plenty of before school and post school meltdowns. The children are overtired and tempers flare.

Sometimes doors are slammed so hard the whole house shakes, and angry voices are so loud I wonder what the neighbours must think.

This will no doubt continue through June and so I will continue to practice my ‘be calm’ self talk.

On the plus side though, the ongoing cooler days are a perfect excuse for hot chocolates, movie watching and wearing one’s pyjamas from 5pm onwards.